Method and apparatus for generating tactile feedback via relatively low-burden and/or zero burden telemetry

• US 8,328,638 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Craig Thorner
• Original Assignee: Craig Thorner
• Inventors: Thorner, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ROSS A
• Application Number:
  US11/929,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20080280678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 6, 463/46, 463/47, 463 40- 42, 463 33- 35, 463 36- 38, 463/48
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

Abstract

A method and a device for providing a tactile sensation are provided. The device includes a plurality of actuators. The plurality of actuators includes first and second actuators. The first actuator is adapted to provide a first tactile sensation, and the second actuator is adapted to provide a second tactile sensation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing, in response to signals generated by a computer or video game system, tactile sensation to a user of said computer or video game system, said apparatus comprising:

a hand-held game pad controller;

where said hand-held game pad controller is adapted to be held by both of a user'"'"'s hands simultaneously;

two motors disposed within said hand-held game pad controller, for selectively generating tactile sensation as vibrations;

control circuitry, coupled to said two motors, where said control circuitry is responsive to signals that are generated by said computer or video game system;

where said signals correspond to action executing on said computer or video game system;

where said control circuitry controls said two motors, where said two motors are controllable independently of each other;

where said two independently controllable motors each has a mass attached to its shaft such that when each motor is activated, its shaft rotates, such that said two motors each generate vibrations via the rotation of each said attached mass on each said shaft;

where the speed of rotation of each rotating shaft of each of said two motors is independently changeable in real time;

where said vibrations generated via the rotation of each said attached mass change in real time in accordance with said independently changing speed of rotation of said rotating shafts of said two motors;

where said two motors generate vibrations simultaneously, wherein the simultaneous vibrations are of independent intensities with respect to each other;

where said vibrations of said simultaneous independent intensities combine in said hand-held game pad controller into a simultaneous combination of vibrations;

where said simultaneous combination of vibrations is felt in both hands of the user holding the hand-held game pad controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where said signals that are generated by said computer or video game system to which said control circuitry is responsive, are communicated via one or more of the following:

(1) bi-directional communications;

(2) uni-directional communications;

(3) wireless communications;

(4) wired communications.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where each motor of the said two motors can be different from each other, in at least one of the following ways:

(1) size;

(2) shape;

(3) power consumption;

(4) type;

(5) the tactile sensations each can produce when controlled;

(6) the desired effect each is adapted produce when controlled;

(7) the desired application;

(8) the location wherein said actuators are disposed within said control input device;

(9) the manner by which said actuators are disposed within said control input device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where a first motor of said two motors is disposed within a left hand side of said hand-held game controller and predominantly provides tactile sensation to said user'"'"'s left hand, and where a second motor of said two motors is disposed within a right hand side of hand-held game controller and predominantly provides tactile sensation to said user'"'"'s right hand.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said two motors may be independently activated, without respect to the independent activation of the other of said motors, in one or more of the of the following ways:

(1) activating for varying durations;

(2) activating at varying speeds;

(3) activating at varying intensities;

(4) activating at varying duty cycles;

(5) activating with varying power output parameters;

(6) activating via pulse-width modulation;

(7) activating with varying electric current;

(8) activating with varying electric voltage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said two motors is disposed within said hand-held game pad controller by any one or more of the following:

(1) attachment to an interior surface of said hand-held game pad controller with one or more fasteners;

(2) attachment to an interior surface of said hand-held game pad controller with an adhesive;

or (3) placement within said hand-held game pad controller by press fitting, snap fitting, or friction fitting.

7. Apparatus for providing, in response to signals generated by a computer or video game system, tactile sensation to a user of said computer or video game system, said apparatus comprising:

a hand-held game pad controller;

where said hand-held game pad controller is adapted to be held by both of a user'"'"'s hands simultaneously;

a plurality of motors disposed within said hand-held game pad controller, for selectively generating tactile sensation as vibrations;

where at least one of said plurality of motors is disposed within a left hand side of said hand-held game controller and predominantly provides tactile sensation to said user'"'"'s left hand, and at least a second motor of said plurality of motors is disposed within a right hand side of said hand-held game controller and predominantly provides tactile sensation to said user'"'"'s right hand;

control circuitry, coupled to said plurality of motors, where said control circuitry is responsive to signals that are generated by said computer or video game system;

where said signals correspond to action executing on said computer or video game system;

where said control circuitry controls said plurality of motors, where at least two motors of said plurality of motors are controllable independently of each other;

where said at least two independently controllable motors each has a mass attached to its shaft such that when each motor is activated, its shaft rotates, such that said motors each generate vibrations via the rotation of each said attached mass on each said shaft;

where the speed of rotation of each rotating shaft of each of said at least two motors is independently changeable in real time;

where said vibrations generated via the rotation of each said attached mass change in real time in accordance with said independently changing speed of rotation of said rotating shafts of said at least two motors;

where said at least two motors generate vibrations simultaneously, wherein the simultaneous vibrations are of independent intensities with respect to each other;

where said vibrations of said simultaneous independent intensities combine in said hand-held game pad controller into a simultaneous combination of vibrations;

where said simultaneous combination of vibrations is felt in both hands of the user holding the hand-held game pad controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, where said signals that are generated by said computer or video game system to which said control circuitry is responsive, are communicated via one or more of the following:

(1) bi-directional communications;

(2) uni-directional communications;

(3) wireless communications;

(4) wired communications.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, where each motor of the said plurality of motors can be different from each other, in at least one of the following ways:

(1) size;

(2) shape;

(3) power consumption;

(4) type;

(5) the tactile sensations each can produce when controlled;

(6) the desired effect each is adapted produce when controlled;

(7) the desired application;

(8) the location wherein said actuators are disposed within said control input device;

(9) the manner by which said actuators are disposed within said control input device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of actuators may be independently activated, without respect to the independent activation of the other of said actuators, in one or more of the of the following ways:

(1) activating for varying durations;

(2) activating at varying speeds;

(3) activating at varying intensities;

(4) activating at varying duty cycles;

(5) activating with varying power output parameters;

(6) activating via pulse-width modulation;

(7) activating with varying electric current;

(8) activating with varying electric voltage.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of motors is disposed within said hand-held game pad controller by any one or more of the following:

(1) attachment to an interior surface of said control input device with one or more fasteners;

(2) attachment to an interior surface of said control input device with an adhesive;

or (3) placement within said control input device by press fitting, snap fitting, or friction fitting.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, where said signals that are generated by said computer or video game system to which said control circuitry is responsive, are generated by software that is executing on said computer or video game system, where said software has been designed to communicate with said control circuitry, where said software is a computer simulation or video game executing on said computer or video game system, where said computer simulation or video game is adapted to create said simultaneous combination of vibrations by independently controlling said at least two independently controllable motors, such that said combination of vibrations to be felt in said both hands of said user holding said hand-held game pad controller corresponds to action executing in real time in said computer simulation or video game.

13. A system for providing tactile sensation to a user of a video game, said system comprising:

a video game console;

a hand-held game pad controller;

where said hand-held game pad controller is adapted to be held by both of a user'"'"'s hands simultaneously;

a plurality of motors disposed within said hand-held game pad controller, for selectively generating tactile sensation as vibrations;

control circuitry, coupled to said plurality of motors, where said control circuitry is responsive to signals that are generated by said video game system;

where said signals correspond to action executing on said video game system;

where said control circuitry controls said plurality of motors, where said at least two motors of said plurality of motors are controllable independently of each other;

where said at least two independently controllable motors each has a mass attached to its shaft such that when each motor is activated, its shaft rotates, such that said motors each generate vibrations via the rotation of each said attached mass on each said shaft;

where the speed of rotation of each rotating shaft of each of said at least two motors is independently changeable in real time;

where said vibrations generated via the rotation of each said attached mass change in real time in accordance with said independently changing speed of rotation of said rotating shafts of said at least two motors;

where said at least two motors generate vibrations simultaneously, wherein the simultaneous vibrations are of independent intensities with respect to each other;

where said vibrations of said simultaneous independent intensities combine in said hand-held game pad controller into a simultaneous combination of vibrations;

where said simultaneous combination of vibrations is felt in both hands of the user holding the hand-held game pad controller.

14. The system of claim 13, where said signals that are generated by said video game system to which said control circuitry is responsive, are communicated via one or more of the following:

(1) bi-directional communications;

(2) uni-directional communications;

(3) wireless communications;

(4) wired communications.

15. The system of claim 13, where each motor of the said plurality of motors can be different from each other, in at least one of the following ways:

(1) size;

(2) shape;

(3) power consumption;

(4) type;

(5) the tactile sensations each can produce when controlled;

(6) the desired effect each is adapted produce when controlled;

(7) the desired application;

(8) the location wherein said actuators are disposed within said control input device;

(9) the manner by which said actuators are disposed within said control input device.

16. The system of claim 13, where at least one of said plurality of motors is disposed within a left hand side of said hand-held game controller and predominantly provides tactile sensation to said user'"'"'s left hand, and at least a second motor of said plurality of motors is disposed within a right hand side of said hand-held game controller and predominantly provides tactile sensation to said user'"'"'s right hand.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of actuators may be independently activated, without respect to the independent activation of the other of said actuators, in one or more of the of the following ways:

(1) activating for varying durations;

(2) activating at varying speeds;

(3) activating at varying intensities;

(4) activating at varying duty cycles;

(5) activating with varying power output parameters;

(6) activating via pulse-width modulation;

(7) activating with varying electric current;

(8) activating with varying electric voltage.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of motors is disposed within said hand-held game pad controller by any one or more of the following:

(1) attachment to an interior surface of said control input device with one or more fasteners;

(2) attachment to an interior surface of said control input device with an adhesive;

or (3) placement within said control input device by press fitting, snap fitting, or friction fitting.

19. The system of claim 13, where said signals that are generated by said video game system to which said control circuitry is responsive, are generated by software that is executing on said video game system, where said software has been designed to communicate with said control circuitry, where said software is part of the operating system of said video game system, where said software is adapted to create said simultaneous combination of vibrations by independently controlling said at least two independently controllable motors, such that said simultaneous combination of vibrations to be felt in said both hands of said user holding said hand-held game pad controller corresponds to action executing in real time on said video game system.

20. The system of claim 13, where said signals that are generated by said video game system to which said control circuitry is responsive, are generated by software that is executing on said video game system, where said software has been designed to communicate with said control circuitry, where said software is a video game executing on said video game system, where said video game is adapted to create said simultaneous combination of vibrations by independently controlling said at least two independently controllable motors, such that said simultaneous combination of vibrations to be felt in said both hands of said user holding said hand-held game pad controller corresponds to action executing in real time in said video game.